Roasted Sweet Potato and Spinach Egg Traybake
Sweet potato cubes roast until browned at the edges, then eggs bake right on top with wilted spinach. A savory one-tray breakfast or light dinner.
- Total
- 44 min
- Prep 8 · Cook 36
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Dicing
- Savory
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 210°C. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper.
~2 min
-
Cut the sweet potato into 2 cm cubes. Toss on the tray with the olive oil, 1/4 tsp of the salt and the black pepper until evenly coated. Spread into a single layer.
~5 min
Cutting sweet potato into even 2 cm cubes ensures uniform cooking so each piece roasts at the same rate and browns evenly.
Dicing Cut sweet potato into uniform 2 cm cubes so they cook evenly. Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board for safety and consistency.
-
Roast the sweet potato until the edges are browned and a cube pierces easily with a knife, 22 to 26 minutes, turning once halfway.
~26 min
Roasting at high heat drives off moisture and triggers Maillard browning, creating savory flavor and crisp edges.
Keep the sweet potato in a single layer with space between the cubes. If they are piled up they steam instead of browning, and the browned edges never form.
Roasting Spread sweet potato in a single layer with space between cubes to promote browning; overcrowding causes steaming. Turn once halfway for even color.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the sweet potato roasts, crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are just combined.
~1 min
-
Pull the tray from the oven and push the sweet potato to the edges. Scatter the spinach into the center and let the residual heat wilt it for 1 minute, then spread it flat.
~1 min
The hot tray provides residual heat that wilts the spinach without overcooking it, preserving its fresh texture and color.
The spinach wilts from the heat of the tray alone, so do not put it in the oven before the eggs. If it looks dry, press it into the hot tray for another 30 seconds.
-
Pour the beaten eggs over the spinach in the center of the tray and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Return to the oven and bake until the egg is just set and no longer runny, 8 to 10 minutes.
~10 min
Baking until just set prevents the eggs from becoming rubbery, as they continue to cook from residual heat after removal.